This invention relates to stabilizing ankle braces or wraps and, in particular, to a new dynamic ankle brace which includes a U-shaped pad member and an elongated elastic strap member connected to the U-shaped pad and adapted to be wrapped in a predetermined manner about the ankle and foot of the user when the brace is in use to apply pressure to the pad and the ankle and foot and to provide stability.
The need for effective ankle braces and wraps has been well recognized in the fields of sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, and athletics for many years. Ankle wraps in the form of taping of the ankle to prevent ankle sprains have been commonly used by athletes for years. Physicians and surgeons have also recognized for many years the desirability of an effective ankle brace for post operative use or for use after removal of a plaster cast from the foot or ankle.
Others have proposed various ankle support or brace devices in an attempt to replace the traditional taping used by athletes whereby a web bandage and adhesive tape are utilized to wrap and tape an ankle. For example, Castiglia, U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,746, discloses an ankle wrap intended to provide effective bracing of an ankle and to replace conventional taping such as used by athletes.